


Father, Brother, Friend, Lover

by snakeling



Series: Father, Brother, Friend, Lover [1]
Category: Nightrunner Series - Lynn Flewelling
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-19
Updated: 2010-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-13 19:16:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/140745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snakeling/pseuds/snakeling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just because you have the same goal doesn't mean you agree on everything.</p><p>AU, where Nysander lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Father, Brother, Friend, Lover

**Author's Note:**

  * For [inteligrrl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inteligrrl/gifts).



The task of cleaning up the battleground fell to Alec and Thero. Thero saw to the wounded, starting with Micum, while Alec gathered the dead, separating the Plenimarans from Beka’s soldiers and Rhal’s sailors. Nysander had disappeared along with Seregil.

Now that it was all over, dread twisted Alec’s stomach. Would Seregil want him as a lover? There had been signs, incidents when Alec had thought that, maybe . . . And Seregil’d returned his kiss. But maybe that had just been gratitude at Alec turning up alive, or a refusal to spook him further by denying him.

Alec felt miserable, not knowing.

At last, Nysander and Seregil returned from wherever they’d been. Seregil looked furious, his jaw clenched and his movements curt; Nysander looked old and tired, and Alec remembered with a guilty start that he’d been grievously injured not three weeks earlier.

Seregil stopped next to Alec, making a visible effort to relax. “Can I help?”

“You need to strip them of their valuables, for their families, and then put the bodies on the pyre.” Alec jerked his head toward the large wood pile some soldiers were making. “You have to call Beka over once you’ve finished with a body, so she can identify them.”

Gruesome task, but necessary. Seregil merely nodded and set to work silently. Alec stole glances at him, wondering whether he should broach the subject of their relationship. Maybe not now. Seregil was still angry, even if it wasn’t at him, and this was hardly the most conducive of settings.

* * *

Later, when they settled for the night, Alec claimed the patch of ground nearest to Seregil, poking at him until he rolled on his side and then spooning against him.

“Alec?” Seregil sounded startled.

“I’m here.” The strands of Seregil’s long hair tickled his nose. He rubbed his cheek against them, relishing the familiar smell and the strong presence he had thought lost forever. His arm tightened around Seregil’s waist.

Seregil half-turned in his arms, his fingers interlacing with Alec’s.

“I don’t know what I would have done if you’d died, _talí_. I —” He turned back, as if suddenly embarrassed. “I don’t think I want to live in a world that doesn’t have you in it.” He brought their hands to his mouth.

Alec released a shaking breath. “Could you please not say those things when there are other people around?”

Seregil’s body shook with laughter. “What, no taste for exhibitionism, _talí_?”

“Not especially, but I’m fast becoming willing to make an exception.” Alec rocked his body into Seregil, letting him feel how hard he’d become, while he drew their linked hands down, discovering that Seregil was at least as hard.

Seregil pushed him away abruptly and rolled out of reach. Alec drew back, startled and stung.

“I think we should talk first.”

“Talk?”

“I — Alec, there’s nothing I would love more than making love to you all night long, but . . .” Seregil rolled on his back, looking at the stars. “I don’t want us to lose what we have now by rushing into something else. We’re friends, first. And I’d like us to remain friends whatever happens, even if you take a hundred lovers and wives later on.” Smiling, he kept on talking over Alec’s protests. “You’re ’faie, Alec; you’ll live for a long time. Never say never; you don’t know what the future is made of.”

Alec drew up his chin. “Don’t I? I notice you didn’t say _you_ would take a hundred lovers and wives.”

“I’ve lived more than seventy years already. I know my mind.”

Alec was speechless for a minute. “I believe that is the most condescending thing you’ve ever said to me,” he finally said.

He pursed his lips to prevent himself from saying something he would regret, and rolled with his back to Seregil, seething in anger.

Seregil touched his shoulder. Alec shrugged his hand off, and Seregil relented, lying a couple of feet away. He took a long time to fall asleep, and so did Seregil, judging by his breathing.

It was poor consolation, though.

* * *

The journey back to Rhíminee was awkward; there was no escaping Seregil in the closed confines of the boat, though he made it easier by closeting himself with Nysander, to whom Rhal had relinquished his room.

There was no escaping Micum, either, even bed-bound as he was. Alec suspected a conspiracy when all their roommates went for some fresh air on the deck, leaving them alone in the room. Micum interrogated Alec mercilessly about their quarrel.

“Bilairy’s balls, he’s made a fine mess of things. He does have your best interests at heart, you know.”

“I’m no child, that another should decide what’s best for me.”

Micum coughed. “You aren’t exactly behaving maturely about this.”

Alec reddened, and changed topics, but found he couldn’t stop thinking about Micum’s words.

* * *

Alec knew what he should do, but it would have to wait until they were alone and couldn’t be interrupted.

They first visited the Orëska, leaving Micum and Nysander in Valerius’s hands and Thero in Magyana’s, then set off for the house on Wheel Street. Alec debated whether to wait until they were both freshened up, but really, he’d waited long enough.

He had a quiet word with Runcer. “Don’t disturb us until dinner, at least.”

“Lord Seregil will want a bath, sir.”

“Later. Not until we send for a servant.”

There must have been something in his expression, because Runcer smiled indulgently. “Very well, sir Alec.”

Alec fought his blush valiantly, though vainly, before setting off after Seregil.

He was in his bedroom, his tunic and boots already off. He looked up as Alec entered and closed the door, surprise on his face. Alec leaned against the door, suddenly short of words, his carefully rehearsed speech fled in the wake of Seregil’s attractiveness. He looked away.

“Alec?”

Alec took a few steps forward. “I cannot imagine a time when I would want anyone that isn’t you. I love you, and love is not something I give easily, or fleetingly.” Seregil opened his mouth to speak and Alec thrust out a hand to stop him. “However, I’m willing, for the sake of argument, to concede that such a time may come. So I promise to always be your friend first, whatever the future brings.”

Seregil looked as tentative as Alec felt. He reached to cup Alec’s face. “Thank you, _talí_. It’s not that I don’t trust you, or that I think you’re fickle, but . . .” He stepped away from Alec to look out of the window. His next words were muffled; his voice not quite steady. “When I was about your age, I fell in love. I thought he could do no wrong; I was ready to do anything he wanted.” He released a long breath. “I killed a man, a guest, in my father’s _fai’thast_ , breaking _atui_. I was exiled for that. I got lucky: I could have been executed. My lover, of course, had long fled. You’re not me and I’m not him; yet . . .” He shrugged, turning again to face Alec.

“You didn’t set out to seduce me. And you never tried to use sex or love to get me to do something.”

“But friendship I used. I changed you, Alec. Without me, you’d never have become a spy, a thief and a murderer.”

“Without you, I’d be dead,” Alec reminded him brutally. He paused, pondering his next words. “Despite your chosen profession, you’re an honourable man, and I’m not showing ill-judgment by falling in love with you.”

Seregil smiled at him. “You’re actually more worldly and experienced than I was at your age, but allow me to worry about you.”

Alec bit his lip. “Not if it leads to you babying me, or making decisions for me.”

“You’re right, I shouldn’t. If we enter this, it’s as equals.”

Alec nodded. Seregil stared at him seriously for a minute, then his face broke into a grin. Alec felt his own face soften in response. In two steps, Seregil was standing before Alec again, drawing him into his arms, his mouth seeking Alec’s.

Their kiss grew heated fast, the space between them narrowing until it was nearly non-existent. Alec trailed his fingers on Seregil’s naked skin, tracing the familiar scars, learning them with his touch. He felt Seregil tangling his fingers in his unkempt hair, the slight pain from tugging becoming just another source of arousal.

Their kiss slowed, though they were unable to let go, breathing into each other’s mouth, their lips joining again and again.

“Where’s Runcer with my bath? He never takes this long.” Seregil was out of breath, as if he’d just run all the way from Plenimar.

“I told him not to bother us for now. Are you seriously thinking of your bath right now?” His scolding would have sounded more believable if he hadn’t been grinning, but Alec couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Plenty of interesting things you can do in a bath.” Seregil leered at him.

Alec took a step forward, then another, steering Seregil where he wanted him. “Let’s start simple.” A well-applied hand to the chest, and Seregil fell on the bed with a whoosh of breath. Alec climbed after him, his knees settling on either side of his hips.

Alec looked at the expense of skin, marked with the life they led, knowing that his own would look similar before long. He brushed his fingers on the circular mark left by the Plenimaran coin, shuddering with the knowledge of what had almost happened.

Seregil was watching him with hooded eyes, waiting him out. Alec took a deep breath; he could do this. He’d learnt what felt good to a woman; he knew what felt good to him. He could probably make it good for Seregil too. Besides, Seregil knew exactly how experienced Alec wasn’t and likely wasn’t expecting prowesses.

Feeling more confident about his abilities, Alec pinched a nipple, something Myrhichia had liked. Judging by the hitch in Seregil’s breath, he approved too. With a wicked smile, Alec set to torment the buds of flesh, first with his fingers, then with his tongue, until they stood tight and red, and Seregil let little helpless moans escape.

Heady with his own power, Alec unlaced Seregil’s breeches and slid his hand inside. His cock was hard, warm and velvety, fitting into his closed fist perfectly. Alec slid his hand up and down, watching in fascination as the foreskin alternately hid and revealed the head. Experimentally, Alec tasted the clear liquid that was flowing from it; Seregil made a sound like a kettle about to boil off, which Alec planned to tease him about mercilessly later.

For a few seconds, Alec considered taking him into his mouth, then regretfully shelved the idea for later. He didn’t think he’d be able to do it, not when he had so little experience, either as the giver or the receiver.

Instead, he opened his own breeches and took his cock out, aligning it with Seregil’s. It felt . . . oh yes! even better than he’d expected. He leaned forward to kiss Seregil again, trapping their cocks between their bodies, then started to rock his hips, creating delicious friction. Seregil was moving in sync beneath him, his hands gripping Alec’s buttocks hard, forcing them even closer together.

It felt like the culmination of eternities of waiting and teasing, and Alec realised quickly that he wouldn’t last long. He hid his face against Seregil’s neck as he came helplessly and sooner than he would have liked. His only consolation was that Seregil didn’t last much longer.

Alec sprawled all over Seregil, reluctant to part. Seregil seemed to be in no hurry either, combing Alec’s hair with his fingers.

The peaceful moment didn’t last, though, as Seregil pushed Alec gently off.

“We’d better clean ourselves up.”

Alec propped his head on his hand. “You have a one-track mind. Is this about the interesting things we can do in a bath?”

Seregil laughed. “Well, I was more thinking of washing off grime, sweat and come, but we can certainly do both.”


End file.
